What families in South Carolina should know
South Carolina's ESA — called the Education Scholarship Trust Fund, or ESTF — actually names dyslexia and dysgraphia therapies as approved expenses, right alongside tuition and other approved therapies. That's a real, direct path to funding a private tutor here, not just tuition assistance.
The catch is that this program has been through real turbulence and remains in high demand. A 2024 state Supreme Court ruling temporarily barred families from using ESTF funds for private-school tuition at all; new legislation in 2025 restored that use. And both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 application cycles filled up and closed almost as soon as they opened — the 2025-26 cycle hit its 10,000-student cap almost immediately, and the 2026-27 cycle (capped at 15,000) had already closed as of this writing. If you want in, you'll need to apply the moment the next cycle opens, not whenever is convenient.
Funding & financial assistance
Funding information is being reviewed for this state.
Tutor and therapist pathways
South Carolina has no separate state-issued "dyslexia therapist" license. Tutors and providers wishing to accept ESTF funds must register as an approved Education Service Provider through the Palmetto NavigatEd portal, which does require demonstrating relevant credentials. Outside of ESTF, private tutors need no state license to operate; the national CALT, Barton, and Wilson certifications remain the practical benchmark.
Palmetto NavigatEd — Providers
Map of South Carolina tutor listings
Explore the locations represented in our directory. Select a marker for provider details, or select a listing below to focus its marker.
South Carolina provider directory
These listings are provided as a starting point for your own research.
Sources
- 1. South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program — EdChoice — www.edchoice.org/school-choice/programs/south-carolina-education-scholarship-trust-fund-program
- 2. Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program (official) — SC Dept. of Education — ed.sc.gov/newsroom/strategic-engagement/education-scholarship-trust-fund-program
- 3. Providers — Palmetto NavigatEd (approved expense categories) — www.palmettonavigated.org/providers